Just like you have to child proof your home when your baby starts to crawl and walk, you must do the same for a kitten or cat. A kitten is just like a toddler. Kittens like to try new things and get into everything they can get their paws into. They will climb, crawl into things and investigate. They may ignore their store-bought toys, and be more intrigued with things they should not get into or even touch. This is why kitten/cat proofing is an issue of safety.

The same way a kitten will go for a piece of yarn you dangle down at them when you play with him or her, they will also go for blind cords, electrical cords and wires, thinking of them the same way. All these things have to be safely out of a new kittens reach as a cat can become tangled in them and choke. Before your bring your kitten home, get on the floor and look around as they would so you can see the potential dangers that attract them. This way you can remove them or relocate them out of kitty’s reach for safety purposes.

Every cat owner needs to be aware of the top cat toys available for this holiday season. Most people buy their felines a gift or two (or more!), so it is important that you know the best selling products. You want to get something your cat will enjoy playing with for a long while to make your investment worth it. Below are the best toys that your cat is sure to love.

Cat Trees

Cat trees are for active kitties that love to climb and scratch. The idea behind the tree is to provide cats with a place to exert their energy and natural instincts without ruining your furniture. Giving them something they enjoy clawing is likely to have them forgetting your possessions…which is sure to make a nice gift for you this Christmas!

The Molly and Friends “Loft and Round” Premium Handmade 2-Tier Cat Tree currently featured on Amazon’s “Spoiled Kitty” holiday gift list is sure to entertain your cats for hours. The tree is made with sisal, a strong material that cats just love to claw. There are also several spots for your pet to lounge in when he or she gets tired of all the playing and scratching.

Laser Toys

Lasers have always been known to entertaining your feline friends, especially kittens. It can even be interesting for you to watch your cat jump around and try to catch the light as it moves around on the floor. The funny thing is, many cats can play with such a toy for hours without getting bored!

The FroliCat BOLT Interactive Laser Pet Toy, found on Amazon’s Gift Guide for Christmas 2010, is among the top selling lasers on the market today. This toy can be used in manual mode, which allows you to control where the laser points, or automatic mode where the toy controls the movements. When the toy controls, it shoots the laser in a number of positions that will have your kitty bouncing and leaping to grab hold of the light.

Track Toys

Track toys are essentially toys that contain a track that a ball can roll around in. It may sound simple and boring to us humans, but to a cat, they cannot enough of swatting the ball through the track. Plus, they are getting their exercise with all the movement, so what better way to provide them with fun this holiday season?

The Bergan Turbo Track Cat Toy is another cat toy of Christmas 2010, as it also made Amazon’s Gift Guide in the pet section. This toy provides a track that can be reshaped in many different ways to provide different experiences for the cats playing with it. This helps to prevent boredom and allow the cat to explore various tracks all within the same toy.

Fleas on cats are not only a nuisance, they can make your cats sick. Kittens may even die of anemia due to flea bites. Many chemicals made to kill fleas are effective, but they are also toxic and can make your cat sick. Kittens are especially vulnerable to chemicals.

You can safely use the method described here even on kittens younger than 12 weeks of age.

An easy, safe and effective way to kill fleas is by washing your cat or kitten with Dawn dishwashing liquid. It is mild and will not harm your pet, but will kill the fleas.

The kitchen sink can be a good place to do this, especially if your kitchen faucet has a spray nozzle. Using warm water, thoroughly wet the cat. If you immerse her, be careful not to let her head go under the water.

Be sure to keep the cat warm. Wrap the cat in a towel and only expose the portion of her body you are cleaning, or work under a heat lamp.

Rub the Dawn dishwashing liquid into the cat’s fur. Start at the head and work down the cat’s neck and body. Get the soap in as much of the cat’s fur as you can, taking care to keep the soap out of her eyes. Gently massage the Dawn into the cat’s coat, working up a lather.

Thoroughly rinse the soap out of the cat’s fur with warm water.

Dry the cat completely, taking care not to let her get cold.

A flea comb can help you get any remaining fleas off of your cat. Comb through her fur with a flea comb, being careful not to pull her fur or scratch her skin. Remove any fleas and kill them by crushing them or dropping them in a bowl of water with a film of Dawn detergent on top.

Remember that fleas will leave eggs and larvae behind, so you may need to repeat this treatment. You should also treat your house because the fleas and their eggs are not only on your pets.

Washing your cat or kitten with Dawn Dishwashing Liquid is a simple and safe way to kill the fleas that are tormenting her and you.

It’s no secret manual kitty litter boxes are used to store waste. The problem is not that it’s hard to clean kitty boxes, but that it’s tedious, boring, and wastes valuable time filling the litter pan, scooping and throwing away waste. Over time, this leads to nasty odors which can be a breeding ground for bacteria that’ll make your cat (and maybe you) sick with exposure.

It can become a real chore to come home from work every day and the first thing you have to do is clean up waste left behind by your cat. So, if you’ve been wondering if there’s a solution to your kitty litter cleaning problems, I’m here to tell you there is – and it happens automatically.

Automatic cat litter boxes will cut the number of times you have to change kitty litter down from three or four times a week to only twice a month.

Imagine coming home from a hard day’s work after fighting traffic during your commute. You’re tired, and the only thing you look forward to is a nice long hot bath and a good book. If this sounds like you, an automatic kitty litter cleaning box could be just what you need.

Automatic kitty liter boxes are heaven sent for most cat owners, especially if you’re a multi-cat owner. Nothing is more tedious than having more an old fashioned kitty litter box to change for each cat you have. It’s like having another part-time job.

Auto kitty litter boxes come in many sizes, and it’s a given they’re more expensive than your typical kitty litter pan. The least you will spend for a decent automatic cat litter box is $50. They can run as high as $300+ for the top of the line, but maintenance is generally inexpensive.

These intricate machines work by scooping waste, replacing old litter with new, and a burst of fresh scent for some automatic kitty litter boxes.

Wouldn’t you want to spend more time playing with your cat instead of cleaning up its waste?

Cleaning up kitty litter is the least-favorite thing on any cat owner’s to do list. That’s why you will want to invest in your own auto kitty litter box and make your pet maintenance easier. Never before has there been a magic button solution to solve all your kitty litter problems.

There are many reasons to discourage your cats from leaping up on the kitchen counters. There are hazards to them—such as hot stove burners—along with hazards to dishes and glassware, and the fact that you don’t want paws that were recently digging through a litter box in the area where you prepare food. Ick.

Cats love counters, though. Some like to look out the windows, others may be up there to get water from the sink or just because they can. So what can you do to keep cats off counters? Each cat is different so some of these ideas probably won’t work with your cat, but at least one of these solutions will probably do the trick.

Stick to it – Apply a strip of double-sided tape to the edge of the counter. Cats do not touching their paws to the sticky stuff and may soon give up jumping on the counters. However, if your cat is a good jumper, they may leap right over the tape. And you may get tired of touching your paws to the sticky stuff when you work at the counter. Another solution is to apply the tape to something you can easily remove from the counter, such as a cookie sheet or piece of plastic. The item can be quickly removed when you want to use the counter, and there is no sticky tape residue left on your countertop. Continue reading Keep Your Cat Off the Counter